The present invention relates to a bottle and to a dispensing container.
Numerous forms of dispensing containers are used in the domestic environment, e.g. in the kitchen and garden. One type of such container which is particularly popular is the so-called xe2x80x9ctrigger-spray containerxe2x80x9d which comprises a bottle (holding a liquid to be dispensed) and a trigger-spray mounted on the mouth of the bottle and having a dip tube extending into a lower region thereof. On actuating the trigger, the contents of the bottle are discharged as a spray through the nozzle of the trigger-spray unit.
It is generally the case that, once the bottle is empty, the whole dispensing container (which is usually of plastics material) is simply discarded and this is obviously disadvantageous from the environmental point of view. It is of course possible to provide for re-use of the dispensing container by filling the bottle with liquid to be dispensed. This may be done in one of two ways. In one way, the householder has another container of the liquid to be dispensed (by the trigger-spray unit) and simply fills the bottle with that liquid. In another way, the householder has a concentrated version of the liquid to be dispensed and introduces the concentrate into the bottle for dilution to the required strength. In either case there is a disadvantage that the replacement liquid (concentrate) needs to be held in a separate container and transferred to the bottle to be replenished. This can be messy and spills may result unless extreme care and time is taken. Additionally concentrated chemicals can harm flooring and general surfaces if spillage occurs.
GB-A-2 129 774 discloses a squeeze-bottle liquid-dispensing container comprising a liquid holding bottle connected to an integral receptacle (of larger capacity than the liquid holding bottle) by an integral duct along which liquid from the liquid holding bottle may be dispensed therefrom into the receptacle. In the illustrated embodiment, the receptacle forms the upper part and one side of the container, the liquid holding bottle forms the lower part of the other side of the container, the integral duct extends upwardly alongside the wall of the liquid holding bottle to open into the receptacle laterally through the wall thereof, and between the upper part of the receptacle and the liquid holding bottle below there is a neck having a throat closed by a plug insertable through the mouth of the dispensing receptacle.
The squeeze bottle of GB-A-2 129 774 is intended to hold two different liquids (one in the liquid holding bottle and the other in the receptacle) that are intended to be mixed before dispensed from the squeeze-bottle. Thus, liquid from the liquid holding bottle is expressed into that in the receptacle for mixing therewith prior to dispense of the mixture from the squeeze-bottle.
Examples of liquids to be mixed would be adhesive and a catalysts therefor.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a bottle comprising a main chamber, a secondary chamber of lesser volume than the main chamber, a first duct providing communication between the main chamber and the mouth of the bottle and a second duct providing for communication between the main chamber and a lower region of the secondary chamber, said secondary chamber having a filling aperture located below the mouth of the bottle characterised in that the secondary chamber is provided above at least a portion of the main chamber and in that said first duct is to one side of said secondary chamber.
The invention also provides, in a second aspect, a dispensing container comprising
(i) a bottle comprising a main chamber, a secondary chamber of lesser volume than the main chamber, a first duct providing communication between the main chamber and the mouth of the bottle and a second duct providing for communication between the main chamber and a lower region of the secondary chamber, said secondary chamber having a filling aperture located below the mouth of the bottle;
(ii) a dilutable concentrate in said secondary chamber;
(iii) a plug provided in said filling aperture to effect closure thereof; and
(iv) a closure element on the mouth of the bottle.
The invention further provides, in a third aspect, a dispensing container comprising
(i) a bottle comprising a main chamber, a secondary chamber of lesser volume than the main chamber, a first duct providing communication between the main chamber and the mouth of the bottle and a second duct providing for communication between the main chamber and a lower region of the secondary chamber, said secondary chamber having a filling aperture located below the mouth of the bottle;
(ii) a dilutable concentrate in said secondary chamber;
(iii) a plug provided in said filling aperture to effect closure thereof;
(iv) a diluted form of said concentrate in the main chamber; and
(v) a closure element on the mouth of the bottle.
The bottle of the dispensing container of the third aspect of the invention may be as defined for the first aspect.
The liquid to be dispensed (from a dispensing container in accordance with the second or third aspect of the invention) will be contained in the main chamber and will be a dilute form of the concentrate provided in the secondary chamber. The dilute form of the concentrate will generally be an aqueous solution thereof. Once the main chamber is empty, it is possible to transfer concentrate from the secondary chamber to the main chamber via the aforementioned second duct. Subsequently water maybe introduced into the main chamber to dilute the concentrate so that the main chamber is re-filled ready for further use of the dispensing container. In this respect, it is preferred that the end of the second duct remote from the lower region of the secondary chamber opens generally transversely into the neck of the bottle to ensure that dilution water does not enter the second duct as this would have the effect of diluting the concentrate in the secondary chamber.
The liquid in the main chamber may for example be for anti-bacterial use or for cleaning use, e.g. for window cleaning, floor cleaning, general surface cleaning or degreasing.
In producing the dispensing container in accordance with the second or third aspect of the invention, the dilutable concentrate is introduced into the secondary chamber via the mouth of the bottle and the filling aperture before the plug is inserted into the latter. Most preferably the plug is spherical. This allows the plug to be xe2x80x9cself-locatingxe2x80x9d in that the sphere may simply be dropped through the mouth of the bottle and locate on a (preferably part spherical) seating surface around the edge of the filling aperture. The sphere may then be firmly seated in the aperture by applying pressure to the sphere, e.g. by means of a rod inserted through the mouth of the bottle. The use of a spherical plug, with its capability for self-location, provides a considerable advantage over the use of other shaped plugs, e.g. cylindrical, which must be correctly orientated relative to the filling aperture before the plug can be inserted therein.
Preferably the upper region of the main chamber is defined by a partition element having a first generally horizontal portion extending from a first side of the main chamber towards the opposite second side thereof and a second generally upwardly extending portion, said secondary chamber being located above said first horizontal portion of the partition and said first duct being defined between said second vertical portion of the portion and said second side wall of the main chamber.
Preferably the bottle is a one piece, moulded plastics article. Conveniently the bottle is formed of a flexible plastics material which allows concentrate to be expressed from the secondary chamber (along the second duct) simply by squeezing opposed sides of the secondary chamber towards each other. In this respect, the closure element on the mouth of the bottle allows for pressure transfer of the concentrate.
A particularly preferred embodiment of liquid dispensing container in accordance with the invention incorporates a trigger-spray unit which provides the closure for the mouth of the bottle.